2004-11-01
Wow - It's been a while

Sorry for the lack of updates! but things have been crazy since school started! Buddy is doing wonderfully! He is 6 months and change now. Buddy was in for his neuter operation a couple of weeks ago, and is doing great (took it right in stride!). At 6 months now, he is weighing 58-60 pounds, and still seems to be gaining 2 or so pounds per week. He is over 24 inches at the shoulder already, and is actually about the same size (or slightly larger) than Teddy down the street. Guess this means he is going to be a big boy when he is fully grown! His temperment has gradually mellowed, and he is quite a well behaved pup (except around his doggy friends!). He is wonderful around kids of all ages... he's quite famous at school and around the neighbourhood. When we enter the school yard now, you can hear calls from all over 'Buddy!!!', and of course we have to visit with each and every child! Buddy is eating around 4 cups of chow a day now, and has anywhere from 3-5 walks per day (some times as much as 1 1/2 hrs a day), but he just loves getting out in the neighbourhood. He is a real outdoor dog, and the cooler, wet weather is suiting him just fine! He has had his first taste of frost over the past few weeks and LOVES it! He spends the entire walk slurping the grass, and likes to roll in it. I'm pretty sure he is going to have a blast once the snow flies! I was chatting with the owner of Mavrick (a 1 year old black Doodle in the neighbourhood), and she said that Mavrick loves the cold also! It can be -30degC and Mavrick still wants to stay out in the snow. One of Buddy's favourite 'snacks' is ice cubes, so I'm sure winter will be a great season! And as for other 'past times', he of course still loves to get down to the Grand River for a splash once in a while (on warmer days!). He has finally become interested in fetch games, and has developed a taste for 12inch rawhide bones... I'll update the site with some new pictures shortly.

2004-09-24
Fall is here...

Sorry for the lapse in updates, but our time has been screaming by since the kids returned to school! Buddy is doing great. He is around 5 1/2 months now and weighed in at 48.2 pounds earlier in the week, and is about 23 inches at the shoulder. His biting days are now officially over, and he is the most gentle and patient creature with all the hordes of kids in the school yard every day! In fact Buddy is practically like a school mascot... many of the kids know his name and greet him as we enter the yard, as do many of the teachers. Christine is continuing to teach him agility, and I think this weekend I might pop him over the drop in agility class at Wag'n Train to see how he enjoys it. His passion in life right now is his pal Teddy... the two seem to have radar for each other! No matter when we choose to walk, we always seem to 'bump' (and I mean that literaly!) into Teddy! Buddy is actually catching up in size to Teddy despite the age difference. Yikes... As for the kids, they have a good time with Buddy when they are home from school, but at this point I have now become sole walker, feeder etc. With homework and classes, Christine has very little time to help out any more. Poor Buddy sulks when we drop all 4 kids off for school each afternoon... sometimes he tries to refuse to leave the school yard, so I end up trying to jog him around and out! What am I? Chopped liver?? Actually it works out fine... he sleeps most of the afternoon while I get my infinite list of projects and housework attempted. All in all Buddy has become the perfect dog... he is still a huge cuddler, and needs to be at someone's feet at all times (although he does crate well when we leave the house). He is getting huge, but he isn't careless or in the way, despite his size. I'll try and post some pictures this weekend, although to be honest we have hardly had time for picture taking!

2004-08-24
4 3/4 months old

Summer is almost over, and it has been a busy one!

Buddy was weighed at the vets today, and he came in at 40 pounds, minus a couple of ounces! He has been gaining about 3 pounds a week, but I think he has started to slow down just a bit. We have just switched him over from the MediCal Development Formula to the Adolescent Formula. The new 'chow' will ensure he gets the right nutrients, but has fewer calories, so his weight gain slows down a bit while his joint and bone strength catches up!

He has gratuated from Puppy Kindergarten now, and is quite good with all of his commands. One thing we have found is that he, for the most part, is not a real cracker jack when it comes to completing his commands... he takes his time and can be quite plodding at time (versus a dog like a collie, who might execute commands with lightning speed). I think this is part of his personality... he is very layed back in his attitude, unless there are new people or dogs entering the scene. We have not committed to any additional obedience classes at this point. He is already a very 'functional' dog, and we are continuing to challenge him with other new tricks which he is picking up quickly ('fetch', 'turn around' (spin), 'roll over', 'sit up' etc.), and working on refining the existing commands. None of us has aspirations towards dog shows... perhaps we will give more classes a try in the fall.

He is starting to get the hang of 'retrieving'... finally! Again, he often watches an object tossed, and then considers it, before running and pouncing, then he many times will bring it back a few steps, then flop down and chew the object, while looking at you as if to say 'what? I got it, it's mine!'.

We just returned from a week up north at the cottage. He had a blast swimming each day in the lake, and it wasn't long before he was belly flopping off the rocks into the water to retrieve toys for us!

He travelled really well on the 4 hour trip, and did really enjoy his walks down the cottage road (as we humans got eaten alive by mosquitos despite the bug spray!). Aside from the walks and swimming, he had a bit of a time of things... I keep him tied up on a lead or on leash unless he is contained, and after 5 days of not having a yard to run around in, he was getting a little unruly. When we finally arrived home, he was overjoyed... he ran laps of 'his' back yard, sniffing and yipping and chewing all of his toys, sticks etc. I'm sure he would have loved to run loose, but as one of the other (responsible!) dog owners in the neighbourhood reminded me... at least Buddy has owners who are be responsible and caring about Buddy's safety. We had lots of problems with Jason running loose around the cottage and getting into trouble, and if I could have leashed him, I would have too!

We have not been allowing him to run loose off the leash unless he is in a contained area (like a yard or in the house). There have been a couple of times when we have allowed him to play off leash with another dog (in the school yard, or with Teddy in his front yard), but 99% of the time he is on lead. I have had some criticism for this... many other owners allow their pups off all the time and feel quite confident that their dogs are 'under control' and safe, but I don't feel comfortable that he is safe from traffic or wandering, even if he is within eye sight. Up at the cottage most of the owners also seem to let the dogs run loose. Some of the time I feel mean, but most of the time I feel good that my dog is safe... up at the cottage in the woods there are any number of dangers (he would run for the water at a moment's notice if given a chance, there is wildlife to consider, poison ivy, not to mention cottage road traffic). I also happen to think that perhaps other folks might not appreciate having my dog wandering on their property leaving presents etc, and in fact a stray dog in general is usually considered dangerous to most people unless they know the dog personally. I seem to be in the minority though...

Anyways, Buddy and the boys are still having issues with nipping.. but mostly its because the boys tend to roughhouse, taunt and tease. This is a longer term issue we will have to work out.

Buddy's coat is getting longer again, and he is loosing a bit more hair with brushing than before... likely its his puppy fur falling out. He is still very soft and silky and very curly! He is also in the process of loosing his teeth... boy are the new ones ever HUGE! And the poor guy can't find enough things to chew on to relieve the discomfort! Ice cubes have been a big hit!

We met a Labradoodle visiting Teddy down the street last week, and her coat was considerably different... almost wiry in texture, and apparantly it sheds quite a bit. She was also quite petite compared to Teddy and Buddy given that she was 3 months older than Teddy. She was a real sweetie in personality though!

Anyways... Buddy is doing fine, and is coming up to 5 months next week. The vet will be calling us back for the neutering next month. I can't believe how much he has changed in the 3 months since he has been home. But he is still a real cuddle bunny...

Check out the updated pictures on the other pages. And stay tuned for any updates...

2004-07-29
Our little Buddy is growing up, and summer's half over...

Buddy is fantastic!

He is now 3 1/2 months old, and weighing in at 30 pounds even. We have been using Lincoln Animal Hospital at University and Bridge, and I am really impressed with the clinic and with Dr. Tracey Burrows and all the staff. They have been fantastic with Buddy... he loves it there so much, he objects when we have to leave! They are the ones who suggested Medi-cal dog food. Buddy enjoys the 'chow' and is developing nicely.

Buddy's training is right on track.. he has all the major commands down cold, and his heeling makes walks a pleasure! We have been attending classes with Norma Jeanne's Puppy Power. The classes have definitely been helpful, both from a puppy to puppy communication perspective and from a trainer perspective. We have learned a lot about how to get results out of Buddy. There has been lots of learning on the kids part as a result also as I try and pass on what I pick up to them. The classes move too quickly most of the time for them to get the details, so they haven't all been attending. Buddy is less reserved now that he is comfortable with the larger group! He has turned into quite a savy pup!

I have even been able to apply Norma Jeanne's theories when allowing Buddy to play with other neighbourhood dogs... for example, in class, the most timid/concerned dog is always let loose first, to build his/her own sense of security. When we meet a dog, if there has been any problems, I've suggested that the more worried dog (note: that's NEVER Buddy!) be allowed to run loose, while I keep buddy in a sit or down position. This way his large puppy romping doesn't bother the older or smaller pup. It's worked 100% of the time... I've had other owners thank me for the tip since we have helped to socialize their dog in the process!

Buddy's biting days seem to be in the past now.. he still 'mouths' us some times, and is still a bit jumpy, but no one is ever hurt. We just have to get the 'sit to greet people' rule cemented as he is gaining in size, and that is starting to make people more hestitant around Buddy, which in turn confuses and gets Buddy more excited.

Norma Jeanne recommended that since most of our dogs were Retreivers of some sort (ie. large) that she recommends the 'greet' position, and in fact the 'stay' position as well be 'down' (ie. laying down). I'm in total agreement... it makes people feel more comfortable.

In fact this evening as Buddy and I were out walking, we had a woman and her little baby toddle over to us wanting to see Buddy. I offered that if she wanted to visit, they were welcome, so I had Buddy lay down for me (with only a little help from the Halti), while the baby 'played' with the 'buppy', as she kept calling him! The baby was a little one.. about 1 year old, still just cruising with mom's fingers, but was she ever excited to explore Buddy! He lay there like a doormat, patiently while she pulled his fur, and his ears and his nose, relaxed as could be! He could have easily been taken for an older dog... the woman was very impressed at how easy going he was for such a young pup. I was really proud of the little guy!

Buddy's adventures have continued this month with lots more parks, and meeting many new doggy friends in the neighbourhood..

He has a Shep-poo friend 'Copper', and a Schitz-poo friend 'Ginger' who he really enjoys. Of course there is 'Teddy' the Dude at the corner, and he has now also met a Schn-oodle, a Schnauser-Poodle-Wheaten, and a Wheaten-poodle. One day we were romping with a schn-oodle at the corner, when along came a miniature poodle to join the fun (that would be a Schnoodle, a Doodle and a Poodle, for those trying to keep track!).. then across the street went a Schnauser, and on the other corner was a Retreiver. We had all gene pools present simultaneously!

We met yet another Doodle at Victoria Park today... Murphy, who was 1 month older, but about 10 pounds heavier, and just gorgeous! Buddy and he had a great time!

Everywhere we go, we spend half of our time doing 'kid play' and the other half doing 'dog play'! Everyone gets what they need and we all go home exhaused!

Someone used to hold a Doodle Romp in the area, out in New Dundee... If one isn't organized next year, I am seriously going to consider organizing one myself... the Dudes just love romping together! The Romp this year was organized by HighView Poodles and Doodle, and we just missed out because of the timing... we have to check it out next year! More info at Poodles and Doodles.

Buddy's other big adventure has been a hike out in the woods out at Bechtal Park.. he loved it! We gave him a quick go at the Leash Free Park adjacent (there were no other dogs there at the tine), but to be honest, I have heard too many bad things about larger dogs acting dominant etc to be frequenting it. Buddy had just as much fun jogging through the woods with the kids and me (and jogging we did... the mosquitos were horrible!), and romping with his buddies in the neighbourhood. We have also gone out to RIM park and picked a ball diamond to play in... the kids and I play some pick-up baseball/tball, while I simultaneously kick a soccer ball around with him. The diamonds are each enclosed with a fence, so he couldn't escape the field... so he get a good, but safe run out of it.

On a final note, Buddy has had his first partial trim this past week... I have been trimming just around his eyes, but we decided to give him a break from the heat and shave him down a bit. I trimmed his body in general, but specifically around his belly, chest neck and hind end. I also trimmed his cheek fur down a fair bit too. The result was that he is now looking much more Retreiver-ish than before. He certainly looked way more like a Retreiver compared to Murphy's unclipped Doodle coat. He seems to be more comfortable for the cut, although he hated the clipper noise! We will let him grow out over the winter than clip him again in late spring (or at least that's the plan!).

If anyone has any questions for us about Buddy, or Doodles in general, feel free to email me at Diane@Nexus-iservices.com and I'd be happy to drone on longer!

That's all for now!

2004-07-14
3+ months old

Blog entries and pics will be added from this point once a month as Buddy continues to progress.

This past week was a busy one as Jason celebrated his 4th birthday with a Jurassic Park party for friends and family (and dogs!).

There were 9 adults, 3 10 year olds and 5 kids ages 4-6 (not to mention a great deal of splashing, singing, and of course dinosaur roaring!), but Buddy was wonderful! He wandered around the group, right in the middle of the action just looking for a playmate or something to do. No troubles with him nipping or getting scared... he was totally well behaved!

We started using a Gentle Leader this week, in addition to using his crate for 'time outs' when biting happens, and the biting has stopped almost completely!

Buddy visited the vet for his 3rd and final shot this week, so he is now all ready to hit the trails and woods!

This past week we also went to Kiwanis park for a morning and he had his first swim in the Grand! He loved it! He swam with his harness on (so I could reel him back towards me if necessary), but he swam all on his own! We also had him in Grandma Brown's pool again this week. This time he swam on his own (again, with the halter) and he chased the kids around while they floated on their noodles in the shallow end!

We are definitely having more fun with Buddy now that the biting has eased up. His obedience training is going fantastic... he is heeling well, and coming when called (at warp speed!). Christine has also taught him to shake a paw and to wave on cue as well!

Every day on our walks he meets at least one of this doggy 'friends' and has a bit of a romp. We even let him romp off the leash with Teddy this week, and, except for the fact that Teddy chased him a bit too hard at one point, they had a great time, and ended up laying side by side in the shade, panting to cool off.

Buddy also met Barkley (Grandma Brown's dog) this week, but they have not hit it off in the slightest. Barkley is a Fox Terrier, with all of the reputed Terrier attitude, not to mention being 8 years old now. Buddy wanted to play sooo bad with Barkley, but Barkley growled and snarled and barked constantly at Buddy. We had to keep Bud on a lead, but Barkley was stressed out despite the fact she was loose in the yard. She obviously needed to be dominant dog, but Buddy outweighs her by almost 10 lbs (and by about 25% in size and 110% in enthusiasm and energy). Buddy attempted to 'show' her he was dominant, but Barkley wouldn't comply and chose to try and pick a fight at every opportunity. Curiously, Buddy didn't offer a belly up to her more than a couple of times before giving up .. then he just whimpered while we had to hold him back and away.

Not a nice scene. Obviously we won't be able to cottage while Barkley is there.. I'm sure that if we had been on her turf, she might have actually taken a piece out of Buddy. I won't let that happen... it sure reinforced for me my concerns with purchasing a Wheaten Terrier. Barkley (and their previous Lakeland Terrier Gammon) both exemplify the Terrier personality... dominant, stubborn and head strong and fairly high tension dogs.

Buddy on the other hand is playful, easy going, extremely social and a quick learner, not to mention compliant. We are finding however that as much as we like large dogs, there are lots of other people who do not.. his size is intimidating to many people (Caitlyn doesn't like him, Grandma and Grandpa Brown keep asking "HOW much bigger is he going to get??").

Oh well, he is the perfect dog for our family, in any case! We are finding him everything we hoped and more! We love Buddy's enthusiasm and energy, but also his gentleness .. he gently 'pats' people and even other dogs on the cheek with his HUGE paws in the most delicate way... when he wants to come in from outside, he sits at the back door and barks once, then gently pats the screen. And he loves to just be in contact with someone while he snoozes, or just watches the world go by!

We also love how cuddly he is... his body and legs are so long, but he is flexible and soft like a Beanie Buddy.. he often arches his back up like a cat does to stretch, and he even can flex his paws like a cat, so his fingers spread out. And he still loves nothing better than to be picked up and held in a cuddle (tummy to tummy or on his back like a baby!). I held Barkley for a while when she was here and she was like a like a stiff little overstuffed animal with wire for structure.

Buddy melts into you when he cuddles... even at his larger size. And his fur is just like down... I'm sure it will eventually become more coarse, but compared to the other Labs at puppy kindergarten, their coats were already coarse and dense, while his is soft and wavy. We really ought to have called him Teddy!

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